Air strikes in Syria kill 39

Damascus, March 19 (IANS) At least 39 people were killed on Saturday when air strikes targeted Syria’s northern city of al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State group, a monitor group reported.

The dead include five children and seven women, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The London-based watchdog group said the strikes targeted several areas in al-Raqqa, adding that there is no information yet whether the strikes were Syrian, Russian or US-led.

The death toll could likely rise as there were more than 60 people in critical condition, the Observatory added.

It said the strikes came a day after 16 people were killed by similar strikes on al-Raqqa.